Norm vs. Standard: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on December 25, 2023
A norm is an accepted social behavior or rule, while a standard is a defined level of quality or achievement.
Key Differences
A norm refers to the informal guidelines or expected behaviors within a society or group, often unspoken yet understood by its members. In contrast, a standard is a more formal, established criterion or level that things or behaviors are measured against.
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Norms are often culturally specific, reflecting the values and practices of a particular community. Standards, however, can be universal, setting consistent criteria across various contexts, like industries or educational systems.
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Violating a norm typically leads to social consequences, such as disapproval or ostracism. Conversely, failing to meet a standard can result in more tangible repercussions, like legal ramifications or quality control issues.
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Norms evolve organically over time, shaped by the customs and attitudes of a group. Standards, however, are typically set by authoritative bodies or consensus and are revised through formal processes.
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In practice, norms guide everyday interactions and social behaviors, influencing how individuals act within a group. Standards ensure consistency and quality, providing benchmarks for evaluating products, services, or performance.
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Comparison Chart
Origin
Culturally or socially developed
Set by authorities or industry consensus
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Consequences of Non-compliance
Social disapproval or ostracism
Legal or quality control issues
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Norm and Standard Definitions
Norm
A norm can be a principle of right action binding upon group members.
Recycling is a norm in communities conscious about the environment.
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Standard
A standard is a level of quality or attainment.
This car meets the highest safety standards.
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Norm
Norm indicates an ideal pattern of behavior expected by a society.
In professional settings, punctuality is often a valued norm.
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Standard
Standard refers to something used as a measure or model in comparative evaluations.
Her work is considered the standard for excellence in the field.
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Norm
A norm is a typical standard or pattern in social behavior.
Shaking hands when meeting someone is a common social norm.
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Standard
A standard is an object that under specified conditions defines, represents, or records the magnitude of a unit.
The meter in Paris is a historical standard for measuring length.
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Norm
Norm refers to an accepted way of behaving within a group.
It's a norm in many cultures to remove shoes before entering a home.
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Standard
Serving as or conforming to an established or accepted measurement or value
A standard unit of volume.
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Norm
A pattern that is regarded as typical of something
A neighborhood where families with two wage-earners are the norm.
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Standard
Widely recognized or employed as a model of authority or excellence
A standard reference work.
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Norm
A standard or expectation that is established for a given enterprise or effort
Journalistic norms.
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Norm
A pattern of behavior considered acceptable or proper by a social group
Violated the norms of his community.
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Standard
(Linguistics) Conforming to models or norms of usage admired by educated speakers and writers
Standard pronunciation.
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Standard
An acknowledged measure of comparison for quantitative or qualitative value; a criterion.
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Norm
To establish or judge in reference to a norm
Normed the test on the basis of last year's results.
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Standard
An object that under specified conditions defines, represents, or records the magnitude of a unit.
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Norm
That which is normal or typical.
Unemployment is the norm in this part of the country.
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Standard
The set proportion by weight of gold or silver to alloy metal prescribed for use in coinage.
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Norm
A rule that is imposed by regulations and/or socially enforced by members of a community.
Not eating your children is just one of those societal norms.
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Standard
A degree or level of requirement, excellence, or attainment
Their quality of work exceeds the standards set for the field.
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Norm
A sentence with non-descriptive meaning, such as a command, permission, or prohibition.
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Standard
Something, such as a practice or a product, that is widely recognized or employed, especially because of its excellence.
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Norm
(mathematics) A function, generally denoted or , that maps vectors to non-negative scalars and has the following properties: Category:en:Functions
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Standard
A set of specifications that are adopted within an industry to allow compatibility between products.
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Standard
A long, tapering flag bearing heraldic devices distinctive of a person or corporation.
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Norm
(chess) A high level of performance in a chess tournament, several of which are required for a player to receive a title.
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Standard
An emblem or flag of an army, raised on a pole to indicate the rallying point in battle.
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Norm
A rule or authoritative standard; a model; a type; as, deviations from the norm are not tolerated.
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Norm
A standard or model or pattern regarded as typical;
The current middle-class norm of two children per family
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Standard
The large upper petal of the flower of a pea or related plant. Also called banner, vexillum.
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Norm
A statistic describing the location of a distribution;
It set the norm for American homes
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Norm
Norm implies an average or usual occurrence or condition.
Attending college after high school has become the norm in many societies.
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Standard
A shrub or small tree that through grafting or training has a single stem of limited height with a crown of leaves and flowers at its apex.
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Standard
(Music) A composition that is continually used in repertoires
A pianist who knew dozens of Broadway standards.
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Standard
Falling within an accepted range of size, amount, power, quality, etc.
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Standard
(of a tree or shrub) Growing alone as a free-standing plant; not trained on a post etc.
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Standard
Having recognized excellence or authority.
Standard works in history; standard authors
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Standard
A rule or set of rules or requirements which are widely agreed upon or imposed by government.
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Standard
The proportion of weights of fine metal and alloy established for coinage.
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Standard
(sociolinguistics) standard idiom, a prestigious or standardized language variety; standard language
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Standard
An object supported in an upright position, such as a lamp standard.
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Standard
One of the upright members that supports the horizontal axis of a transit or theodolite.
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Standard
A sturdy, woody plant whose upright stem is used to graft a less hardy ornamental flowering plant on, rather then actually planting it.
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Standard
A tree of natural size supported by its own stem, and not dwarfed by grafting on the stock of a smaller species nor trained upon a wall or trellis.
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Standard
(shipbuilding) An inverted knee timber placed upon the deck instead of beneath it, with its vertical branch turned upward from that which lies horizontally.
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Standard
A flag; colors; a banner; especially, a national or other ensign.
His armies, in the following day,On those fair plains their standards proud display.
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Standard
That which is established by authority as a rule for the measure of quantity, extent, value, or quality; esp., the original specimen weight or measure sanctioned by government, as the standard pound, gallon, or yard.
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Standard
That which is established as a rule or model by authority, custom, or general consent; criterion; test.
The court, which used to be the standard of propriety and correctness of speech.
A disposition to preserve, and an ability to improve, taken together, would be my standard of a statesman.
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Standard
The proportion of weights of fine metal and alloy established by authority.
By the present standard of the coinage, sixty-two shillings is coined out of one pound weight of silver.
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Standard
A tree of natural size supported by its own stem, and not dwarfed by grafting on the stock of a smaller species nor trained upon a wall or trellis.
In France part of their gardens is laid out for flowers, others for fruits; some standards, some against walls.
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Standard
An upright support, as one of the poles of a scaffold; any upright in framing.
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Standard
An inverted knee timber placed upon the deck instead of beneath it, with its vertical branch turned upward from that which lies horizontally.
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Standard
Being, affording, or according with, a standard for comparison and judgment; as, standard time; standard weights and measures; a standard authority as to nautical terms; standard gold or silver.
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Standard
Hence: Having a recognized and permanent value; as, standard works in history; standard authors.
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Standard
Not supported by, or fastened to, a wall; as, standard fruit trees.
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Standard
A basis for comparison; a reference point against which other things can be evaluated;
They set the measure for all subsequent work
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Standard
The ideal in terms of which something can be judged;
They live by the standards of their community
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Standard
An upright pole or beam (especially one used as a support);
Distance was marked by standards every mile
Lamps supported on standards provided illumination
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Standard
Conforming to or constituting a standard of measurement or value; or of the usual or regularized or accepted kind;
Windows of standard width
Standard sizes
The standard fixtures
Standard brands
Standard operating procedure
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Standard
Commonly used or supplied;
Standard procedure
Standard car equipment
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Standard
Established or widely recognized as a model of authority or excellence;
A standard reference work
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Standard
Conforming to the established language usage of educated native speakers;
Standard English
Received standard English is sometimes called the King's English
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Standard
A standard is a principle or example used for comparison.
The company's policy is the industry standard for ethical practices.
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Standard
Standard can also mean a rule or guideline established by authority.
The new building codes set higher energy efficiency standards.
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Repeatedly Asked Queries
What happens if a norm is not followed?
Not following a norm typically results in social consequences like disapproval.
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What defines a norm?
A norm is defined as a typical or accepted behavior within a society or group.
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Are standards universal?
Standards can be universal, especially in industries or fields with global reach.
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Can norms vary between cultures?
Yes, norms can vary significantly between different cultures and societies.
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Do norms have a formal setting process?
No, norms evolve organically and are not typically set through a formal process.
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Do norms influence personal behavior?
Norms significantly influence personal and social behavior in everyday life.
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What role do standards play in industries?
Standards ensure quality, safety, and consistency in various industries.
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What are the repercussions of not meeting a standard?
Failing to meet a standard can lead to legal issues or quality control problems.
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Are norms legally binding?
Norms are not legally binding; they are more about social expectations.
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How is a standard established?
A standard is established through formal processes by authoritative bodies or industry consensus.
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Can an individual's action change a norm?
Individual actions can contribute to the evolution of norms over time.
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How are standards enforced?
Standards are enforced through regulatory bodies, inspections, and industry practices.
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Are standards subject to change?
Yes, standards can be revised or updated through formal processes.
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Can standards differ from country to country?
Yes, standards can vary between countries, especially in areas like safety and manufacturing.
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Are there international standards?
Yes, there are international standards in many fields, like ISO standards in manufacturing.
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Is adherence to standards mandatory?
In many cases, adherence to standards is mandatory, especially in regulated industries.
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How do norms affect social interactions?
Norms greatly affect social interactions, dictating acceptable behavior in various settings.
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How do norms reflect society?
Norms reflect the values, customs, and practices of a society or community.
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Do norms require formal acknowledgment?
Norms do not usually require formal acknowledgment; they are implicitly understood.
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What's an example of a widely recognized standard?
A widely recognized standard is the ISO 9001 for quality management systems.
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About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
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